This invention relates to motor vehicle fuel delivery systems and, more particularly, to an improved fuel filler door assembly.
Motor vehicles typically include a fuel tank, a fuel filler tube extending from the fuel tank and terminating at a free end proximate an aperture in an outer panel of the motor vehicle, and a fuel filler door assembly positioned in the panel aperture and arranged to support the free end of the filler tube and facilitate the delivery of fuel to the free end of the filler tube for delivery to the fuel tank.
A myriad of fuel filler door assembly designs have been utilized in association with the evolution of the motor vehicle and, whereas these prior art designs have been generally satisfactory in supporting the free end of the filler tube and facilitating the delivery of fuel to the filler tube, they have tended to require a very expensive and labor intensive installation procedure, and the cost of this installation procedure is of course reflected in the final manufacturing cost of the vehicle.
This invention is directed to an improved fuel filler door assembly for a motor vehicle.
More specifically, this invention is directed to a fuel filler door assembly that is amenable to a simple and inexpensive installation on the associated motor vehicle.
The fuel filler door assembly of the invention is intended for positioning in an aperture in a panel of the motor vehicle to facilitate access to and support the free end of the filler tube extending from the fuel tank of the vehicle.
According to the invention, the assembly includes a housing including a sleeve having a diameter sized to fit in the aperture in the vehicle panel; an annular flange at an axially outer end of the sleeve sized to seat on the vehicle panel in surrounding relation to the aperture; a housing aperture defined at an axially inner end of the sleeve and sized to pass the free end of the filler tube therethrough; and a plurality of circumferentially spaced keys on an outer surface of the sleeve proximate the flange but spaced axially inwardly from the flange by a distance approximating the thickness of the vehicle panel. With this arrangement, the housing may be mounted in the vehicle panel simply by passing the keys inwardly through a plurality of circumferentially spaced keyways provided in the vehicle panel in surrounding relation to the aperture and thereafter rotating the housing to move the keys into coaction with solid portions of the panel intermediate the keyways.
According to a further feature of the invention, the housing includes an end wall at the axially inner end of the sleeve defining the housing aperture and the housing further includes a fastener hole in the inner end wall adapted to receive a fastener for coaction with the free end of the filler tube. This arrangement provides a simple and efficient means of precluding rotation of the installed housing relative to the panel.
According to a further feature of the invention, the assembly further includes a fuel filler door mounted on the housing for pivotal movement between a closed position seated on the annular flange to close the axially outer end of the sleeve and an open position pivoted outwardly away from the flange to allow access to the free end of the filler tube.
The invention also relates to a motor vehicle body structure assembly for association with a free end of a filler tube extending from a fuel tank of the vehicle. According to this aspect of the invention, the assembly comprises a vehicle body panel defining an outer surface of the vehicle and having an aperture therein; a plurality of keyways are provided in the panel in surrounding relation to the aperture; and a fuel filler assembly is provided including a housing including a sleeve having a diameter sized to be fitted in the panel aperture, an annular flange at an axially outer end of the sleeve sized to seat on the vehicle panel in surrounding relation to the panel aperture, means at an axially inner end of the sleeve defining an aperture sized to pass the free end of the filler pipe, and a plurality of keys on an outer surface of the sleeve proximate the flange but spaced axially inwardly from the flange by a distance approximating the thickness of the body panel and having a size and circumferential spacing corresponding to the size and circumferential spacing of the keyways in the body panel. With this arrangement, the housing may be mounted in the body panel by passing the keys inwardly through the respective keyways and thereafter rotating the housing to bring the keys into coaction with solid portions of the body panel intermediate the keyways.
According to a further feature of the invention, the vehicle body panel further defines a stop structure spaced angularly from each keyway for coaction with the respective key to limit and define the angular movement of the housing as it is rotated following passage of the keys through the keyways.
According to a further feature of the invention, the body panel includes an annular recess in surrounding relation to the aperture and the flange is sized to fit in the annular recess.
The invention also provides a method of installing a fuel filler door assembly in an aperture of a panel of the vehicle to facilitate access to and support the free end of a filler tube extending from the fuel tank of the vehicle. The method comprises providing a housing having a sleeve having a diameter sized to fit in the aperture in the vehicle panel; providing an annular flange at an anally outer end of the sleeve sized to seat on the vehicle panel in surrounding relation to the aperture; providing means at an axially inner end of the sleeve defining a housing aperture sized to pass the free end of the filler pipe; providing a plurality of circumferentially spaced keys on an outer surface of the sleeve proximate the flange but spaced axially inwardly from the flange by a distance approximating the thickness of the vehicle panel; providing a plurality of keyways in the panel in surrounding relation to the aperture and corresponding in size and circumferential spacing to the keys; passing the keys inwardly through the keyways to seat the housing flange on the vehicle panel and pass the housing aperture over the free end of the filler tube; and rotating the housing to move the keys into coaction with solid portions of the panel intermediate the keyways. With this methodology, the fuel filler door assembly may be mounted in the vehicle panel in a minimum of time and with a minimum of labor.
According to a further feature of the invention methodology, the method includes the further steps of providing an end wall at the axially inner end of the sleeve defining the housing aperture and providing means in the inner end wall adapted to receive a fastener for coaction with the free end of the filler tube. This methodology provides a simple and effective means of precluding rotating of the housing relative to the vehicle panel.
Other applications of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art when the following description of the best mode contemplated for practicing the invention is read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.